Cushion or mattress.



FW. c.. GENGE. YCUSHION 0R MATTRESS.

APPLICATION FILD MAR. 3. i917.

. Patented Nov., I3, 1917.

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CUSHION 0R MATTRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3. 191?. wanted Nw. 13, 1917'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fwezzr UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

.FREDRICK C. GENGE, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 THE MAIBSHAILdI VENTI- LATED MATTRESS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

CUSHION OR MATTRESS.

Speccation of Letters Patent. Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

Application led March 3, 1917. Serial No. 152,386.

To aZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDRICK C. GENGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cushions or Mattresses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencesmarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in spring cushions or mattresses, and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appencled claims.

The object of the invention is to produce a cushion or mattress in which there shall be an entirely independent action of the springs throughout the main body of the cushion or mattress, and at the same time there shall be provided at or along the edge or edges of the same, a device or means for strengthening themattress at and adjacent to said edge or edges, so that the neighboring springs will not collapse or bend either forward or backward in such manner as to allow an unsightly deformation or sagging depression of the cushion along or near its said edge or edges. Y e

In illustrating my invention, I have shown it as applied to a cushion, and more particularly to a cushion of the kind adapted and intended forV use as a seat in automobiles or other vehicles. It willof course be manifest that the features of the'invention will be of advantage in connection with cushions or mattresses for other uses, but I` have selected this'type of cushion for the most likely -to be subjected to the edge deformation or collapse, which it is the object and end of the invention to prevent.

This and other advantages of the device will appear more fully as I proceed withmy specilication.

In the drawingS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cushion or mattress embodying the novel features of my invention, with a part of the outer covering broken away and folded back toV show the inner construction.

' Fig. 2 is a view representing a transverse, vertical section through the cushion or mattress, in a plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view representing a part of a row of springs in their separate pockets, used in my improved construction.

F ig. 4 is Va plan view of a novel border frame forming a part of my improved cushion or mattress. v

Fig. 5 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, representing a part of saidborder frame. t

Fig.` 6 is a view representing` a section through Fig. 5 in a, plane indicated by the line 6--6 ofvF ig. 5. i L

Referring now to that embodiment of my .invention illustratLd in the ,drawings 2 1()I indicates the cushion or mattress as a whole.

Said cushion is inclosed inyan outer covering 11, of canvas, leather, or like material. Its body is providedby a plurality of springs 12 which are preferably arranged in rows 12a, and each inclosed in a pocket 13, with the pockets of the several springs in each row connected together in the manner described in Letters Patent No. 685,160. t

The cushion has a base 14 which consists of a wire frame 15 outlining and defining the bottom plan of the cushion or mattress, and of a plurality of parallel, spaced, lon-- gitudinally extending wires 16, and of parallel, spaced, transversely'.extending cross wires 17, connected, to said frame and providing a grill-like platform for the support ofthe springs constituting the body of said cushion.

1S indicates the border-frame which defines the top planl of the cushion. Said border frame is reinforced along one side by means of a truss 19 (see Figs. 1 and 4). The

, truss 19, as shown, consists of what may be purpose of illustratingthe invention as one called a top member 20; of a bottom member 21, which is the member of the border frame 18 constituting the side of said frame to which it is applied; of inclined end members 2, which are extensions' of the top memberf' at) and which are connected to the border frame at the .ends of the'sichl member constituting the bottom member 21 of the truss; and of strutsQB, of which, as shown, there are three,-namely, one at each end of the top member 20 of. the truss, and an-intermediate member spaced halfway between the first two.

The frame andl its truss are preferably made of stiff Wire, and as shown, the main border frame consists of a single pice bent into the desired form of the frame, with its ends abutting togetherA at the back side of the frame, and held together by means of a clip 24. The truss member comprising the top and inclined end members of the truss consists, as shown, of a single piece of wire bent into the required form to constitute the top memberl 20 and the inclined end members 22 of the truss, and having ends 22a, 22a, which are so bent as to be engaged in the angles of the border frame at the ends of the side to which the truss formation is applied. Said ends 22a, are attached to the border frame by means of clips 22h, similar to the clips 24 already referred to. The struts 23 are made of wire preferably of the same section as that of the truss and of the border frame, and are provided with angularly disposed extensions 23a which are attached to the respective members between which they are interposed, by means of clips 23", of the kind already described.

The border frame with its reinforcing truss along one side, is applied to the cushion in the plane of the top endscf the springs 12 which form its body. The truss is preferablymade deep enough to cover more than one row of springs, preferably two rows. The parts of the truss provide means for attaching to the truss the springs of each of the rows, (inthis case two rows) which the truss covers. The truss manifestly provides not only means to reinforce the side member of the border wire frame, to prevent its collapse inwardly or outwardly, but in addition, provides support for the top ends of the springs of the rows which said truss is made large enough to cover, thereby obviating and preventing inward orvoutward collapse of said springs, or shift of the top ends of the said springs away from a vertical line. Thus while the rest of the springs in -the cushion are free to yield, together or independently, under any pressure to the cushion, the rows of springs along the one edge of the cushion are compelled to act together in a vertical direction, and in addition are prevented from having any sagging away from the vertical, either in one.. direction or the other, transversely of the side member ofthe frame ladjacent to which they are placed.

The advantages f this construction will be apparent to those familiar with the art. By'the 'se of the novel wire frame, the edge of the cushion or mattress adjacent the reinforcing member of the frame, is not only prevented from sagging or caving in, when the Jcushion or mattress is upholstered, but the said edge of the cushion is strengthened and reinforced, and at the same time so connected to the springs adjacent to said edge,

the springs adjacent said edge, when the cushion or mattress is sat upon, at or near said edge, is entirely obviated and prevented.

The cushion to which the invention is applied, is provided'at the top sides and ends with the usual covering of hair or wadding 24, which is inclosed by the heretofore meniloned outer covering of canvasor leather ing of canvas `or of other suitable exible material 25 which immediately incloses the wire base, the top border frame and the springsY interposed between them;

I claim as my invention:

l. In a mattress or cushion comprising a plurality of independently acting springs arranged in rows, means for supporting the bottom ends of said springs, a top border frame deining the outline of the to of Said mattress or cushion, and a truss or reinforcing a side of said top border frame, said truss ovrlylng one or more of said rows of springs and being secured to the top ends of the springs above which it' lies and including Linclined end members attached to the frame at the ends of the side which it reinforces.

mattress or cushion comprising a plurality of springs arranged in parallel rows, each spring being inclosed in one of a series of independent ockets, each connected in va row, means or supporting the bottom ends of said springs, a top border frame defining the outline of the top of the mattress or cushion, and a truss reinforcing one side of said top border frame and overlying and being attached to the top ends of one or more of said rows of springs.

There is also provided an inner cover- 3. A mattress or cushion comprising a plurality of' springs, each of which isl inclosed in an independent pocket and allof the pockets being connected in parallel rows,

means for supporting the bottom ends of said rows of springs, a top border frame de- `fining the outline of the top of the mattress or cushion, and a truss reinforcing one side of said top border frame and overlying and vbeing attached to the top ends of one or more of saidrows of springs, saidtruss consisting of 'a member spaced from and eX- tending parallel to the side member of the border frame which it reinforces, of inclined end members connecting said truss member .to the ends of the associated truss member,

and of strut members extending at right angles to and connecting said side border frame member to said spaced member.

4. A border frame for mattresses or cushions, consisting of an o en, wire frame having sides and ends, o a-reinforcing truss member spaced inwardly from one of said side members, said truss member being shorter than said `side member and being connected thereto by inclined end members attached in the corners of said frame at the ends of said side member, and of strut members extending at right angles to said side member and connected to said truss member at its ends and at a point or points intermediate the said ends.

In a mattress or cushion including a casing, comprising top, bottom, side and end walls and springs between said topI and bottom walls, a base confined within and defining the bottom outline of said casin said base comprising a border frame an cross wires connected to the sides and ends of said frame, said cross wires providing a support for the springs of said mattress or cushion.

6. In a mattress or cushion comprising a base defining the bottom outline of said mattress or cushion, resilient, elastic means supported on said base. a top border frame defining the top outline of said mattress or cushion, said top border frame having a reint'crcing truss connected to one side thereof, said truss overlying and engaging a part of the resilient, elastic means adjacent that side of the border frame to which it is connected and including inclined end members attached to the frame at the ends of the side which it reinforces.

7. In a mattress or cushion comprising a base defining the bottom outline of said mattress or cushion, a plurality of independently acting springs arranged in rows, supported on said base, a top border frame defining the top outline of said mattress or cushion, said top border frame having a reinforcing truss connected to one side thereof, said truss overlying and engaging a row of springs which is spaced from the adjacent side of the top border frame and including inclined end members attached to the frame at the ends of the side which it reinforces.

8. In a mattress or cushion comprising a base defining the bottom outline of said mattress or cushion, said base consisting of a rectangular border frame and cross wlres" connecting the sides and ends of said border frame, a plurality of independently acting springs arranged in rows supported on the cross wires of' said base, a top border frame of substantially the same outline as'that of the border frame of said base, said top border frame defining the top outline of the mattress or cushion, said top border frame having a truss spaced from and extending parallel with its front side member and overlying a row of' springs spaced from said front side member of the top border frame and strut members connecting the truss member with one of the side members of the border frame.

y'9. In a mattress or cushion comprising a base defining the bottom outline of said mattress or cushion, said base consisting of a substantially rectangular border frame and cross wires connecting the sides and ends of said frame, a plurality of independently acting springs arranged in rows supported on the cross wires of said base, a topborder frame of substantially the same outline as that. of the border frame of said base, said top border frame defining the top outline of the mattress or cushion, said top border frame having a truss member spaced vfrom and extending parallel with its front side member and overlying a row of springs spaced from said front side'member of the top border frame, and struts connectin the sald truss member with the associated ront side member of the top border frame.

10. In a mattress or cushion, including a border frame defining the outline of said mattress or cushion, said border frame comprising a front and rear side member, and end members, a truss member arranged parallel with the front side member of said border frame, a plurality of struts connecting said truss with said associated border frame member, the ends of said truss member being bent or inclined to meet the' junction of the front side and end members of the border frame, and clips connecting the strut members to the front side member of the border frame and said truss member respectively, and also connecting the ends of' said truss member with the junction of the front side and end members of said top border frame.

11. In a. mattressvor cushion including a. casing, comprising top, bottom, side and end walls, and a plurality of .independently acting sprmgs arranged in rows between said top and bottom walls, means providing a base for the bottom ends of said springs, including a bottom border frame and a top border frame, each of said border frames being confined within and defining the outline of said mattress or cushion.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 28th day of February, A. D. 1917.

FREDRICK C. GENGE. 

